6000 Years of War
by That Mysterious Figure
Summary: Meet Erkenbald Herrmann, current leader of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, last surviving member of the original 1st Warrior Division. Age: 6068. Probably the only non-Civ leader to live so long. From 4000 BC to 2047 AD, this is his story. Civ 5.
1. Prologue: Three Men in a Pub

**April 22, 2047 AD, German Capital of Berlin, Pub**

I took another long sip of my drink. It was done.

The war was over.

Peace at last.

I glanced around the dim pub I was in. Groups of friends drunkenly laughing together. A couple kissing in the corner. A pianist filling the place with cheerful music.

It was likely – as a matter of fact I guarantee – that these people had not nor would ever see the horrors I'd seen. I envied their ignorance. Yet the optimistic part of myself reminded me that my experiences had given me wisdom, wisdom that few people in the world could claim to have.

"There he is."

I glanced up to see two men walking toward me. My hand grazed the pistol concealed in my pocket. They took a seat at my empty table.

"Can I help you fellas?" I asked gruffly, not really in the mood to be bothered.

"You're Erkenbald Herrmann aren't you?"

I sighed. If I had a gold piece for every time I was asked that…

"Yes, yes I am." I replied, expecting a torrent of questions to follow.

"Look," the man on the left began, "We know you've probably been asked this a lot, and we hate to bother you, and –"

"We want to know your story." The man on the right cut in.

I stared at them for a minute before replying.

"My story."

"Yes."

"Meaning…"

"Everything that's happened to you since the beginning," the man on the right explained, "We're news reporters you see, and with all the war coverage that's been going on, naturally we've heard your name come up several times."

"Of course," I grumbled to myself, "nearly impossible not to of…"

"I'm going to be frank, Mr. Herrmann. We want to interview you. You're the last surviving member of the original 1st Warrior Division; you're fought for our country since its founding, you have been alive for over _6000 _years, as old as Lord Bismarck himself, and we want to share your story with the world."

"We're not trying to badger you, Mr. Herrmann," the man on the left added in eagerly, "We just–"

"I'll do it."

The two men shared a surprised look. I could tell that they hadn't expected this to work.

The man on the right finally spoke up, "You will?"

I leaned back in my chair, "Way I see it, gents," I said, taking another sip of my beer, "I do your little interview and people quit pestering **me** with questions. Shall I start from the beginning?"

The two men, obviously dumbstruck, nodded stiffly as the man on the left hurriedly pulled out a pen and a pad of paper.

I glanced at the paper and chuckled, "Son, if you're going to be writing down **my **story, you're gonna need more paper."

He pulled out three more pads.

I shrugged. "It's a start."

I allowed myself a small grin at their attentive postures as I began my tale.

"It all started in the year 4000 BC…"


	2. Chapter 1: Why Are We Here?

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed! I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>January 1, 4000 BC<strong>

_No one knows much about the beginning. How we got there, where we came from, all questions that continue to elude us to this day. All we knew were a few basic things…_

My name is Erkenbald Herrmann. I am 21 years old. The date is January 1, 4000 BC. I am a German warrior. My leader is Bismarck the Great.

And I have no idea what's going on.

No one does.

There is a group of us you see. Half of us Warrior, the other half Settler. The Settlers' job is to found our nation's first city and run it. Our job is much simpler – simply follow Bismarck's orders.

None of us know anything about our past. We all seemingly just showed up at the same place, with the same knowledge, no explanation, no warning. How we got there, where we came from, all mysteries. Things we should know, but don't.

We were all German, we knew that. That was both our ethnicity and language; German. We all knew Bismarck was our leader - despite being as confused as the rest of us he agreed to step up. We all knew the date was January 1, 4000 BC. But that's it. Apart from our own individual names and ages, that's all we knew.

But **how **we knew, how that a group of strangers all showed up at the exact same place with the exact same knowledge, **that **was the one thing we all wanted to know most, and ironically the only thing we **didn't **know.

Was this normal? Did this happen all the time? **Was **there a time before this? Again, none of us knew.

But there **had** to be a time before this. I am 21 years old. I must have been born, 21 years ago. I hadn't been created this way.

Had I?

For if I had been born, 21 years ago, would I not have memories? Of my friends, my family?

This whole ordeal is crazy! I don't even know what "BC" stands for!

I felt someone shake my shoulder. I turned and saw Lucas, one of my fellow Warriors.

"Lord Bismarck is holding a meeting. He says that everyone must attend," he informed me.

"Thank you, Lucas," I replied, "Come, let us see if he can make any sense out of all of this."

* * *

><p><em>The "meeting" ended up being a crowd of people standing in a field with Lord Bismarck standing on a rock in the front. Not very impressive by today's standards, but for a group of confused people with common knowledge yet no memory or known origin, it was enough.<em>

"My people," Lord Bismarck began.

A hush feel over the previously murmuring crowd. I could see why Bismarck had been chosen to be our leader; he had an indescribable air of control around him.

"Many, if not all of us, are wondering the same things. Who we are, how we got here. And though I wish I could, alas, I do not have the answers to these questions.

But, with our past being clouded and – for now – unreachable, the question we should all be asking is 'What happens next? What shall become of us; the German people?'

Though we don't know many things, we do all share a common knowledge. And so I think what comes next should be obvious; we do what we were seemingly created to do. We, my friends, shall be the first of the proud, the mighty, German civilization."

A smile stretched across his face, "And this shall be the sight of our glorious capital. Our Settlers shall found here, the first German city of Berlin."


	3. Chapter 2: Seeds of Exploration

**January 22, 4000 BC, German Capital of Berlin**

Three weeks have gone by since the official founding of Berlin. Much has changed since then.

Other than the cottages where most of our citizens – there are 100 of them – live, the only building constructed has been the Palace. The Palace acts as both the home of Bismarck, and in effect our nation's government, and the place where our nation's scientists work, though there has been talk of constructing them a separate building.

The land around our city is also being used to further our civilization's progress. Just last week a group of men were outfitted with tools and sent off to construct a farm by a nearby river.

My unit – a group of 12 warriors – had been garrisoned in the city, acting as a security force. Lord Bismarck was concerned about our purpose, our reason for existence – to do battle with our nation's enemies. That implied that there were dangers to our people not yet discovered, and he did not want to risk our peoples' safety by sending us off into the wild.

So we had been biding our time, waiting for further orders, helping out where we could. We had also been tasked with training a local militia; a somewhat humorous idea considering we ourselves had never been in combat before.

But, like so many other things, we somehow knew the art of war and were able to finish their training today. We're currently marching to the Palace right now to -

"Hey Erik," Lucas interrupted, nudging my shoulder, "Get your head outta the clouds, we're almost there."

That's what my friends call me - Erik. As Lucas, who was one of my best friends by now, had playfully pointed out during our squad meeting a few weeks ago, my name was humorously long. So George – another one of my squad mates – had dubbed me Erik, and the name stuck.

"Whaddya think Lord Bismarck's gonna tell us?" asked Peter.

"He's probably gonna tell you to shut up. I know I am," answered Joseph.

"Maybe he's going to ask you how you're relationship with Jane is going, Joseph," joked Alfred.

We all laughed at that, except for Joseph, who was blushing furiously. While we were helping to build the cottages Joseph had gotten to know a girl named Jane. Later Carl had caught them kissing in an alley, and we had been teasing him about it ever since.

* * *

><p>When we arrived in Bismarck's office he was waiting for us, sitting behind his desk. We instantly stood to attention<em>. (Nowadays that's something they have to teach to new recruits. For us it was just instinct.)<em>

"At ease, gentlemen," Bismarck said. We relaxed our muscles but remained standing.

"Now that the local militia has been trained we are no longer defenseless without you. So, I am reassigning you to exploration duty."

"I don't quite understand, sir," said Alex.

"I am sending you north to get a better idea of our surrounding land. You men know of my worries concerning possible enemies to our nation, and I want a clear picture of the land around us. Are there any questions?"

"How long are we to be gone, sir?" I asked.

"Thanks to our riverside farms we will be able to provide you with enough food for approximately three months travel. You may have to ration it a bit, but as long as you eat it wisely and don't do anything stupid you should be fine. Any more questions?"

"When will we leave, sir?" asked Martin.

"First thing tomorrow morning," Bismarck proclaimed, "If there are no more questions, you men are dismissed."

We saluted Bismarck and left his office.

* * *

><p>The next morning we packed silently, all of us wondering what we would find on our journey. A few of us were optimistic, others, not so much.<p>

"Just think," said Martin, breaking the silence, "We may actually discover another civilization. Imagine the things we could learn from each other!"

"Or," George countered, "The wars we could have with them. If you ask me we should build up our military some more before we go looking for trouble."

"Nonsense," Martin replied, "Why would anyone want war against us?"

"They might be interested in that cotton field we found," Joseph interjected.

We all stopped to think about that for a second. Recently, our scientists had discovered that a material found in a field south of us, which they had dubbed 'cotton,' could be used to make comfortable clothing. Would another civilization be willing to go to war over a simple convenience like that?

"Why would another civ go to war with us over it when we could just trade it with them?" Lucas added in, "That way everyone wins."

George shrugged. "Some people are just naturally aggressive."

"Whatever happens," I intervened, "It's for Lord Bismarck to deal with, not us. Now c'mon guys, let's get going."

And with that, we all began our walk to the city gate and beyond.

"Hey Joseph, did you remember to say goodbye to Jane?"

"Shut up, Peter."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Fun Fact: I booted up Civ 5 and started a new game and it turns out you actually start with 1,000 people and over 8,000 soldiers. But that seemed a little unrealistic to me, so I lowered the numbers a tad.  
><strong>


	4. Chapter 3: Yin and Yang

**January 23, 4000 BC, Outskirts of Berlin**

It was easy going at first. We marched along the road through Berlin, a few people waving at us, others wishing us good luck.

Then we reached the border line.

That's when we stopped.

Otto broke the awkward silence.

"Well, it is."

"Yup."

"The wilderness."

"Yup."

"…Unexplored."

"…Yup."

"Is it too late to turn back?" asked Peter.

Finally Alex stepped forward, clutching his club. "Come on, you apes. You wanna live forever?"

And with those words he began marching into the forest.

I was next to follow, then George, and then everyone else.

"Kinda," muttered Peter.

* * *

><p><strong>February 6, 4000 BC<strong>

"Well," Peter said, finally voicing what we had all been thinking, "It's official. Exploring is boring."

In the two weeks we since we had left Berlin, we had discovered nothing interesting. Every day had the same routine. Wake up, eat, walk, have Carl scribble some stuff down on the map, eat, walk some more, have Carl scribble some more stuff down on the map, eat, go to sleep. At first, no one was complaining, we were too busy being afraid of what was in store for us. But, as time passed, our fear gave in to our Warrior instincts, and we all craved some excitement.

"Hey," said Lucas, "What's that over there?"

We all turned to look. There was a strange structure on a hill in the distance. It resembled our buildings somewhat but it appeared… different. Dilapidated, abandoned.

"They appeared to be some sort of ancient ruins," Alfred said.

"Yeah, but from who?" Joseph wondered aloud.

Peter took a step forward. "Well we're not gonna find out by standin' here. I say we go have a look."

Martin stood up from the rock he had been sitting on. "I agree. Frankly I've been waiting for something exciting to happen for two weeks now."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked David, "Just because they look abandoned doesn't mean they are."

"Aww, c'mon Dave," said Lucas, slapping David on the shoulder, "You're not afraid of ghosts, are you?"

"No, I just –"

"It doesn't matter," I cut in, "Either way, our orders are to explore unexplored land." I pointed to the structure. "That's unexplored land."

"Erik's right," George added, "Whatever's in there is our job to discover."

* * *

><p>We cautiously entered the ancient ruins. They appeared to be the remnants of a building, but now they just looked like several groups of crumbling hallways.<p>

Once inside we split up and looked around. It was pretty uneventful, until Ralph's voice rang out from the center of the structure.

"Guys, take a look a this!"

I rushed toward the sound of his voice and found myself in the main chamber. Some of the others were already there, gathered around Ralph.

"What is it, guys?" I asked.

Lucas turned and looked at me. "Erik, you gotta see this!"

He grabbed me and pulled me to the front of the crowd, where Alfred was looking at some scrolls.

I leaned over his shoulder and was amazed by what I saw.

They were diagrams, detailing what appeared to be some new sort of weapon. I couldn't quite understand how it worked, but it seemed to involve some sort of D-shaped launching system that fired sharpened sticks.

"This is spectacular," Alfred said to no one in particular, "This civilization had must have had technology we haven't even dreamed of yet. If we can find more of these ruins –"

"We'll look for more ruins," George interrupted, "**After **we get this information back to Berlin."

"You want to go back now?" Carl asked, "We've only been out here for two weeks!"

"We can't let this information fall into enemy hands!" George argued.

"What makes you think it will be safer in Berlin!" Carl countered, "We're **Warriors**. We're the most qualified to protect this kinda stuff!"

"Not to mention," Martin added, "If there are other ruins we want to make sure it's **us** who discover them, and not someone else."

That seemed to change George's mind. "That is a good point," he muttered.

Suddenly we heard a howl in the distance.

"Wolves?" Peter suggested.

"I don't think so," David said gravely.

"Everyone gather your weapons," Alex ordered, "Take up defensive positions around the structure. We're gonna have company."

I grabbed my club and crouched beneath a slab of wall. The others did the same.

No one said anything except Joseph.

"Well Carl, I guess we get to prove your point."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, we've now met all 12 members of the original 1****st**** Warrior Division.**

**In case you need/want a list, they are Erik, Lucas, George, Peter, Joseph, Alfred, Carl, Alex, Martin, David, Otto, and Ralph.**


	5. Chapter 4: Enemies of the State

**February 6, 4000 BC, Ancient Ruins**

A few minutes later they showed up. Men in fur coats with spiked clubs and helmets with horns. They charged us with unprecedented savagery.

I could hear Alex yelling something but couldn't understand what. My mind had given in to instinct, and with a shout I charged to meet my enemy on the battlefield.

I was vaguely aware of others following me, but I couldn't focus on that now. Not if I wanted to win this battle.

I raised my club and swung at the nearest enemy. He grunted as I hit him in the leg and went down sprawling.

The next one was smarter than the first. He sidestepped my first swing and swung at me. Luckily I dodged it and smacked his head clean off. To a normal man the gore might have been sickening.

Not to a Warrior.

Time lost all meaning as my comrades and I beat our enemies into submission. Except they didn't submit. Not until our last opponent fell for good did I seem to regain my former senses.

Most of us had gotten through with nothing but a few scratches, Carl had a couple of cuts in his left arm, but who we were all looking at was Ralph.

He had a deep, vertical gash that stretched almost the entirety of his lower left leg. The ground around him was stained red with blood. Even Lucas, who always had a wisecrack ready, was speechless.

Otto, who had the most medical knowledge out of all of us, was wrapping his leg with cloth. Ralph simply moaned.

"How bad is it, Otto?" Alex asked, not taking his eyes off of Ralph.

Otto wiped his hands off in the grass and stood up. "We need to get back to Berlin," he said, "Ralph's lost a lot of blood, and he needs proper medical attention."

"How are we gonna get him back?" asked David, "He can't walk on that leg."

"With this."

Alfred stepped forward, clutching one of the scrolls from the ruins. He laid it on the ground and pointed at one of the illustrations. It looked like a large piece of cloth with two sticks pushed through loops on each side.

"We can lay him in the cloth," Alfred explained, "And simply carry him back to Berlin."

"You think there are others?" Peter said to no one in particular, "Like the ones we just fought?"

"Undoubtedly," George affirmed, "Which is why we need to set about to building this device and be on our way."

* * *

><p>The journey back was fraught with worry. With four of us carrying Ralph, only seven of us were ready for combat at a moments notice. We made it point to travel by night instead of day, to help cover our tracks. Even, Martin, ever the optimist, was caught looking over his shoulder every once in while.<p>

All this caution led to the journey back taking three weeks as opposed to the two it had taken us to reach the ancient ruins. Even then we didn't relax until we caught the first glimpse of German territory.

* * *

><p><strong>February 27, 4000 BC, Outskirts of German territory<strong>

One of the farmers was the first to spot us. He ran up to us grinning.

"Hey, we didn't expect you guys back until –"

His face paled as he saw Ralphs sleeping form on the cloth.

"I-Is he -"

"No," Alex answered firmly, "Go back to work - we need to get to the city."

The farmer nodded and, pulling his eyes away from Ralph, headed back to the fields.

A militiaman walked up. "Anything I can do to help, sirs?" he asked. While the militiamen and ourselves were technically the same rank, they all considered us their superiors seeing as we had trained them.

"Yes," Otto replied, "Get to the city as quick as you can, tell them to prepare a medical station."

"Yes sir." The militiaman saluted, then turned and ran toward the city.

"You really think they can help him?" David asked Otto.

Otto shrugged. "Doesn't really matter; they're the only help we got."

* * *

><p><strong>February 27, 4000 BC, Berlin, German Palace, Medical Wing<strong>

We all sat outside Ralph's healing room in silence as the healers worked on Ralph. Only after what felt like hours did one of them emerge. Several of us stood but she answered our question before we could ask it.

"Your friend's fine; he just needs a few days bed rest and he'll be good as new."

I let go a breath of relief that I hadn't even know I had been holding.

"Thank goodness," Joseph said.

"Can we see him now?" Alex asked.

"No, but there is someone else who'd like to talk to you."

Lord Bismarck appeared behind her.

"At ease," he said, before we could even salute.

"First off I'd like to give my condolences for Ralph's injury; undoubtedly a situation most unpleasant. And while I hate to take you from his bedside, so to speak, I would like to be debriefed on our new enemies."

* * *

><p><strong>February 27, 4000 BC, Berlin, German Palace, Bismarck's Office<strong>

After we had finished telling our story, Bismarck gave us our new orders.

"Alright, here our your new orders. Alfred, take those scrolls down to the science wing. Fair warning, things might be a little crazy down there; they're preparing to move into a new building in a few weeks. The rest of you I want garrisoned in the city; you're free to do what you want until further notice. Dismissed."

"Sir, yes sir!" We saluted and left Bismarck's office.

* * *

><p>"What are you all going to do in your free time?" Martin casually asked as we made our way to the palace's exit.<p>

"Well, I think we all know what Joseph's going to –"

But Peter didn't get the chance to finish. Joseph was already chasing him down the hall.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the delay on this one, you can blame writer's block and school. Not to mention it takes time to write a terrible action scene. I also have some review responses.**

**ChocolateTeapot: Thanks for pointing out those errors; I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.**

**Kirosha: I too hope to make the chapters longer at some point, I think it should be easier in later eras when society is much more complex, happy you find the story interesting and hope you continue to think so.**

**Overall a big thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story, it's good to know some people are enjoying it and constructive criticism is always good.**


	6. Chapter 5: On Leave

**February 28, 4000 BC, Berlin**

The next day I took a walk around town by myself, relishing my time alone. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being around my team, but the constant bickering can get old fast.

I was drawn toward a structure in the center of town that had not been there when I'd left. It was a giant obelisk, towering above the clay buildings and wood shacks around it.

"Do you like it?"

I turned and saw one of the town builders, a well-built man that looked as old as I was.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"A monument. A token of appreciation to whatever deity placed us here. First building in the city to be made of stone, mind you, funny story really, you see the scientists discovered that the rocks we were digging out of the mines-"

"Thank you," I interrupted, not wanting to spend the rest of my day here, "But I must be going now."

"Oh," He looked disappointed, as if I wasn't the first to give such an excuse, "Well, alright, see you around then."

I turned to leave.

"Oh, by the way,"

For the love of…

"Are the rumors true? Did you soldier boys really discover other people out there who are complete and utter savages?"

I froze. Was I allowed to talk about this? Lord Bismarck didn't say I couldn't, but still, it was a touchy subject…

"You can tell him, Erik."

Alfred had walked up without me noticing.

I looked from him to the builder. "Yes, it's true."

The builder had a look of awe, terror, and shock on him.

"But they can't get into the city, right? I mean, not with you guys –"

Alfred placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Fear not my friend. Rest assured that precautions are being taken by the government to guarantee our peoples safety. You have nothing to worry about."

This seemed to calm the builder as some of the color returned to his face. He thanked us both and went on his way.

Once he was gone I raised an eyebrow at Alfred. "What kind of 'precautions' are you taking about?"

Alfred shrugged. "Beats me, all I know it that those scientists started pouring over those scrolls the second I gave them to them. They must be whipping up something."

"Well, they're certainly doing something right, molding buildings out of rocks. It's amazing the progress they made while we were gone!"

Alfred nodded. "Wait until they get into their new building. They've been forced to work in the palace so far, but this new 'Library' the builders are constructing is going to be completely dedicated to the sciences."

I whistled. "Our research'll go through the roof when that happens."

Alfred once again nodded in agreement, though he didn't seem as optimistic. "Maybe, but there's only a small group of them. What we really need are more scientists, but I doubt any scroll is going to help us with that."

"I suppose not," I said, wanting to be alone again, "I'll see you later Alfred."

* * *

><p>I continued my journey around the city, but my mind had drifted back to the Barbarians. If there was an attack, could we repel it? Exactly how many of these Barbarians were there?<p>

I was so entranced with my thoughts I didn't notice I was walking into someone until it was so late.

We both fell the ground.

"Argh, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where-"

It was then I got a good look at the person I walked into.

She had long, silky blond hair, and blue eyes that, while firm, had a warm feeling to them. Her dress was plain brown, like most of the other women's' in the city. She had been carrying a basket of apples; probably to be taken to the Granary I had passed a few streets back.

"No, it's alright, I wasn't watching where I was going either."

Her voice brought me out of my thoughts. I sat there dumbfounded for a few seconds before my sense came back to me.

"Here," I offered, "Let me help you with that."

"Oh, thank you so much."

As we began to pick up the apples I found my mind racing.

"So, uh, what's your name?"

"Hannah, yours?"

"My what?"

"Your **name**."

"What? Oh um, of course, my name. It's Herrmann Erkenbald, I mean, Erkenbald Herr… Call me Erik."

She giggled a little, and I gave a little smile, meanwhile mentally hitting myself.

_What are you doing Erik? You sound a complete moron! She just a women! You see women all the time! Oh, what would Lucas say if he could see me now…_

"So, what do you do for a living, Erik?"

"What?" (I really had to start paying more attention) "Oh, I'm a Warrior."

She looked impressed. "Really? Didn't you guys just get back from some mission?"

I couldn't help but sit up a little. "Why, yes we did, rather dangerous, almost killed, as a matter of fact." (For some reason my previous concerns regarding secrecy had vanished)

I was hoping to get a gasp or some other reaction, but she just nodded. "My brother told me about it. He works in the fields, saw you guys come in. Is your friend okay?"

"Oh, Ralph? Yeah, he'll be fine, he just has to stay in the Palace for a few days."

We finished picking up the apples. We both stood up and stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Well," I squeaked. Cursing myself, I cleared my throat. "Well," I said, in a deeper voice than usual, "I guess I'll see you around?"

She smiled again (Do women usually do that?). "I guess so. Thanks again for the help, Erik."

"No problem."

As she walked away, I decided I had enough excitement for one day, and headed back to the Barracks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another long wait, wasn't it? Well, I'm sure if you look on the Internet, you'll find some pre-archived excuses that you can pretend I posted here, as I'm too lazy to come up with some right now (laziness had a big part in the delay of this chapter).**

**Also – what's that? How did the townspeople build a Monument, Granary, Barracks, and part of a Library in a few weeks? That, my friends, is a little something I like to call,**** story-magic.**

**All right, this Author's Note has gone on long enough. As always, thank you for reading, and please review!**


	7. Chapter 6: Redeployment

**March 7, 4000 BC, Berlin, Barracks, Late Evening**

"Warriors; wake!"

I woke with the start at the sound of Alex's voice and jumped out of bed, seeing as he had been named our official leader by Lord Bismarck after Ralph returned. The others had done the same.

"Sir, yes sir!" We all shouted instinctively.

"At ease," he said. "Get dressed, grab your weapons; we're being deployed."

"Sir, with all due respect, why are we being deployed in the middle of the night?" Peter asked.

"Because," Alex replied, "We're going on a rescue mission."

* * *

><p><strong>March 7, 4000 BC, German City of Berlin, Palace War Room, Late Evening<strong>

"Earlier this evening, militia forces spotted a group of miners returning from the night shift early. When the miners reached town they informed the militia that Barbarians had attacked them. While that group had managed to get away, several other workers had been kidnapped."

There was a tense chill in the air as Lord Bismarck relayed these words to us.

"Based on the direction from which the Barbarians attacked as well as the direction they attacked you all from the ruins, our cartographers have hypothesized that their place of origin is in this general area."

He pointed to an unexplored area northwest of the ruins we found.

"Your mission is to recover the captured workers and, if you can, destroy the Barbarian's base of operations. Any questions?"

George stood. "Sir, what about defenses while we're gone?"

"We've halted all night shifts for now and imposed doctrine to all workers that in the event of a barbarian sighting they are to return to the city immediately." He hesitated before going on. "We are also training new men with the weapons we designed with the scrolls you brought us."

"You deciphered them?" Alfred asked, incredulous.

"Yes, two men named William Bow and Frank Arrow were able to figure out the device. Man named Clarence Archer tested the prototype yesterday. Now, get some torches and food from the supply room and move out as soon as possible."

* * *

><p><strong>March 8, 4000 BC, Wilderness, Early Morning<strong>

"I don't get why we couldn't begin this rescue operation in the morning. The journey takes a few weeks anyway," Peter wondered aloud, in a tone not quite complaining but not very enthusiastic either.

Alex looked ready to answer, but George beat him to it.

"Because we still don't know much about these barbarians, for all we know a few more hours head start for them could mean life or death for our workers."

_Have I mentioned George was always the blunt one?_

"Do we even have a plan for when we do find them?" David asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Joseph replied, "Go in, kill barbarians, get workers, get out."

"Oh good," Alfred said, "And here I was worrying the plan would be too simple."

* * *

><p><strong>March 29, 4000 BC, Wilderness, Late Evening<strong>

"There it is."

We all stared down at it. The Barbarian Encampment.

It was circular, the outskirts of it illustrated with large logs sticking out of the ground, with points carved, albeit crudely, on the ends of them. Within these primitive borders were the barbarians themselves, our workers, who were tied to a large tree in the encampment's center, and several hastily erected torches, illuminating the encampment and its immediate vicinity. Luckily for us, we were camped on a forested hill next to them, concealing us in the shadows.

"This is even better than I hoped," Alex whispered. "We have the element of surprise, which should give us a great advantage when we engage them."

"Sir." It was Otto whispering now. "Permission to speak freely?"

"Permission granted."

"What if we were to simply wait for the barbarians to leave the encampment again? Then we could very literally stroll right down there and free our workers, with no casualties guaranteed."

"A clever idea, Otto, but unfortunately we don't know if our workers will survive that long. As much as I would like to minimize casualties, we simply don't have the time."

"Yes sir."

"On the count of three, we'll charge them. Hopefully they'll be too shocked to react at first. Get ready."

I brought my club up and dug my feet into the ground. Speed would be essential in this attack, or our advantage would be null and void.

"One…"

I glanced at my comrades. They looked grim but determined.

"Two…"

I couldn't help but feel a little grim myself. Would there be any wounded after this battle? Or worse, would there be any-

"Three!"

With several shouts and cries, we rushed from our hiding spot into the open to face the enemy.

* * *

><p>We rushed down the hill as fast as we could, swerving to avoid the pointed sticks that outlined the encampment. Once inside we engaged the surprised barbarians.<p>

I ran up to one and swung my club at his stomach. He doubled over and I finished it with a swing at his head.

The next one was more difficult. He got the first swing, and I only narrowly dodged it. When I swung back he blocked with his club. We went on like that for a while, back and forth, until I finally managed to stun him with a hit in the leg, then came the killing blow.

As I backed up from the body I surveyed the area. Things had apparently gone well at first, with several barbarian bodies near the border of the encampment. As things moved inward however, the barbarians seemed to have gotten over their shock and started to really up a fight. One of our bodies was lain out across the ground.

I moved to see whom it was when a cry went out. I turned and saw Martin fighting off a particularly large barbarian. His left leg was soaked in blood, whether it was his or another's I did not know.

I raced over to him, but in my hurry I didn't notice the barbarian rushing toward me. He tackled me from the left, and I went down sprawling. I reached for my club only to find it was gone. Knowing my time was short; I punched the barbarian on top of me in the jaw and reached for his club. He seemed to realize what I was doing though, and we began a fierce tug-of-war to fight for the only weapon in our grasp.

Out of nowhere another club came down and collided with the barbarian's head. In an instant his body went limp.

I pushed the now-ragdoll form off my body and saw Lucas standing over me. He was smiling.

"Tsk, tsk, Erik, lying down on the job?"

I gave a grunt and took the hand he extended to me.

"For the record," I said, wiping the dust of my robes, "I had everything under control."

Lucas let out a chuckle. "Of course you did."

Suddenly the memory of Martin came back to me. "Martin! Lucas, we have to get to him! He's-"

"Relax," Lucas said, "George already helped Martin. While you were playing with your barbarian friend-"

"**Playing?"**

"-the battle ended. We won."

I turned and saw Joseph and Carl untying the ropes binding our workers to the large post. Alfred was observing one of the barbarian clubs. Ralph was going around making sure none of the barbarians were faking death. Otto and David were patching up Martin, who after being rescued by George was lying down in the grass, pale. Luckily though, his wound wasn't as bad as I originally thought.

"So," I asked, turning back to Lucas, "Who was the body sprawled out back a ways?"

Lucas looked at me, his face pale and laced with fright. "Body? What body?"

We bolted back to the sight where I saw the body. It was still lying there.

Lucas and I shared a glance and without a word we moved forward and flipped the body over.

It was Alex.


	8. Chapter 7: We Are Not Alone

**April 20, 4000 BC, Berlin, Barracks**

Despite the illuminated curtains covering the square holes in the barracks, signifying morning and thus the beginning of my patrol shift, I made no effort to get out of bed. My mind was still racing will the events of last night.

After a somber trip back from the Barbarian Encampment with the hostages, back from what was supposed to be an easy in-and-out mission, we made our way to the Palace to meet with Lord Bismarck. What ensued was an awkward conversation at best, as we all half-heartily pieced together what was supposed to be a crisp and detailed report from our now dead leader, Alex. Lord Bismarck gave us his condolences – a gesture that meant all the more due to his genuinely disappointed tone – and appointed George our new leader. He then informed us we were on territorial patrol duty until a replacement for Alex could be found. The new Archer unit had been trained and deployed to the southeast last night upon our arrival on exploration duty.

With a groan I rolled out of the hay bale and cotton sheets that were my bed to find Lucas and Alfred strapping on their belts. We exchanged mumbled "Good Mornings" as I walked passed them to the bathroom. I splashed some water on my face and began to dress.

When I came out I out I noticed Carl, Ralph, and Peter had returned from the early morning shift, and had wasted no time crashing on their beds.

"Ready to go?" Lucas asked me.

I nodded, and we left the Barracks, with the only sound remaining being Peter's snoring.

Once outside Alfred spoke up.

"Erik, while you were in the bathroom Ralph told me the funeral for Alex would be later this morning at the foot of the Monument."

I gave a grunt of acknowledgment, and we continued in silence until Lucas spoke up.

"You guys hear about these 'horse' things they discovered?"

* * *

><p>"-was a great leader, and a good friend."<p>

George was met with somber applause as he stepped down from the platform erected in front of the monument. Upon it stood a wooden shroud that had been made by some engineers overnight.

_We hadn't actually brought Alex's body back like we do today; back then there was no embalmment so the body would have just decomposed over the weeks of travel._

With George's eulogy done, it was time for Lord Bismarck to say some words. As he made his way up to the podium the air was thick with silence. Bismarck had an air of power surrounding him that humbled anyone in his vicinity.

He turned to the crowd and spoke.

"This is the first death of our civilization. It is cruel that the first of us to be gone was one of the strongest, a beacon of hope in these times in which we are all trying to discover ourselves. My last words with Alex were when I summoned him to the palace in the middle of the night. He showed up quickly, eager to due his duty. When I told him about the hostages, he displayed no hesitation in mounting a rescue mission. I would be lying if I said this did not bring pride to my heart, for this clearly indicated I had chosen correctly in the quest to find a leader for our brave and noble Warriors. For indeed, it was Alex's inspirational attitude that made him the great man he was. His legacy shall stand. His memory shall not fade. Germany has lost one of her finest."

There was a roar of applause for Bismarck from both the audience and us Warriors. I even think I saw Peter shed a tear.

"Sir! Sir!"

We all turned to see one of the militiamen sprinting toward us. The crowd parted in awe as he collapsed in front of Bismarck.

"What is it?" Bismarck barked.

The militiaman took a few breaths before saying words that would change the course of the entire fate of Germany.

"The archers sir, they're back. And they're not alone."

* * *

><p>Bismarck started issuing commands immediately.<p>

"All citizens, back to your homes! Warriors, form up on me!"

We instinctively formed ranks around Bismarck and began to march toward the southern wall. On our way Bismarck gave explicit instructions to George, who was at his right hand.

"The note the militiaman gave me from his commander stated that all they know is that the newcomers are either friendly, or somehow manipulating our Archers. I want your men to appear threatening, but non-hostile. If this truly is to be our first meeting with other human beings other than barbarians, I don't want to start a war."

"Yes sir."

When we reached the southern wall Bismarck ordered the wooden gate opened so we could exit. The militiaman complied and did so. We stepped outside, still in formation.

Before us stood our own Archers, looking somewhat nervous but stalwart. Next to them stood another set of archers, but these ones were distinctively different to our own. They had streaks of red in their uniforms, a stark contrast to our consistent gray, and their bows were much larger and, to my horror, seemingly more advanced.

Bismarck began to speak.

"I am Lord Otto von Bismarck, leader of Germany and all her people. Welcome to our fine capital, the city of Berlin."

There was silence for a moment, until one of their archers, who I assumed to be the leader, stepped forward. And then something strange happened. Although he spoke a language I knew not to be German, I understood him perfectly. A quick glance at my cohorts showed the case was the same with them.

"Greetings and good fortune upon you, Lord Bismarck. I am Henry, leader of the 1st Longbowmen and representative of Queen Elizabeth and her kingdom of England."


	9. Chapter 8: Her Majesty, the Queen

**June 8, 4000 BC, Outskirts of London, England**

"There is our fine capital, Lord Bismarck," said Henry.

After inviting Henry and his Longbowmen into our Palace, with us as guards, Henry proposed a meeting between their ruler, a "Queen Elizabeth," and Bismarck himself. George looked ready to step in and inform Henry that Germany wasn't a country that just let their leader go out or a stroll in the dangerous wilderness, but before he could Bismarck agreed, and it was decided we should accompany him to their capital, London.

Once Bismarck had selected a temporary governor we all departed. Henry and his Longbowmen lead the way, followed by Bismarck who was closely surrounded by us. We were far more cautious as far as our situational awareness went, knowing that the fate of our ruler was in our hands, whether barbarians attacked or, worse, our English "friends" turned against us.

We traveled for eight weeks along the river and, at one point, through a pass between two things Henry referred to as "mountains." Eventually we reached a hill overlooking all of he English territory, where we stood now.

"It is a fine city," Bismarck remarked, "but what is** that**?

He pointed past the city to a seamlessly unending pool of water.

"Oh, that?" Henry replied nonchalantly, "That's just the ocean. She supplies us with fish to eat but not water to drink."

"If you don't mind my asking," Alfred interjected, "Why can't you drink the water? And what are fish?"

Henry smiled, but I couldn't tell if it was out of amusement or contempt. "Come. There will be plenty of time for questions in our Palace, which actually looks strikingly similar to yours."

* * *

><p>Our group entered the English Throne Room. There sat Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.<p>

_Queen Elizabeth, like Lord Bismarck, did not look much different then as she does now. Of course, if I had known her true nature at the time, I would have killed her right then and there._

She smiled, stood, and outstretched her arms.

"Welcome!" she said in a booming voice, "To our city of London, capital of the kingdom of England. We have been expecting you, Lord Bismarck of Germany."

Of course we already knew she had been expecting us. Henry had sent a messenger ahead to inform the Queen of the meeting of our two nations, so as not to… arouse her upon our approach. Nevertheless, Bismarck returned her welcome with the same booming tone.

"Thank you, Queen Elizabeth of England. I hope our meeting today will secure an era of peace and prosperity for both of our nations for centuries to come. As a show of goodwill, we bring to you a gift, the knowledge of the technology of Masonry."

We knew the English didn't have Masonry when Henry and the other Longbowmen expressed such wonder at our stone buildings. When we questioned him about this wonderment, he told us that the buildings in London were either crude buildings of rock or constructions of sticks, hay, and mud.

Not to be outdone, Elizabeth replied, "And in exchange for such a generous gift, Lord Bismarck, we wish to share with you our knowledge of Sailing."

A kind gesture, to be sure, but not a particularly useful one. I made a mental note to always be cautious around these "English."

After that Bismarck and Elizabeth retreated into a private room to discuss the future of our two countries, leaving us Warriors and the English Longbowmen standing awkwardly in the Throne Room. During our journey we had not associated much, with us concerned with Lord Bismarck's safety and both parties having mutual feelings of distrust.

Peter was the first to break the ice. "I must say, your bows are very different from our own."

One of them, Samson I believe his name was, replied, "We found them in some ancient ruins east of here."

Alfred spoke up, "We actually found our Archery technology in some ancient ruins to our north."

Another Englishman, Gregory, said gruffly, "Perhaps a war was fought between two ancient civilizations. And the southern one won."

That sounded like a threat to me. Apparently my cohorts felt the same, as I saw some clutch their clubs a bit tighter.

We stood there in silence from that point on for another hour or so until Lord Bismarck and Elizabeth finally emerged from the private chamber. In an instant all twenty-four of us were at attention.

Bismarck was the first to speak. "I think Berlin has gone long enough without us, don't you think George?"

"Yes, sir."

Bismarck turned back to Elizabeth. "Thank you once again, your Majesty. I hope we can meet again soon."

She smiled, "Likewise, Lord Bismarck."

* * *

><p>We spent the night in London before leaving in the morning. Once out of English territory Bismarck halted us to inform us of the "going-ons" of the meeting.<p>

Both German and English troops would patrol a trade route to be established between Berlin and London. Germany would trade her cotton in exchange for English gold, which was conveniently the currency of both of our civilizations. Borders of both countries would be open for both countries, and a research agreement had been signed that would give a boost to both nations scientific progress. This all sounded well and good, except for…

"…the fact that I don't like her. Personally." Bismarck confided to us.

"Why, sir?" David asked.

"She comes across to me as arrogant, self-serving, and power-hungry," he said bitterly, "When we get back to Berlin the first thing I'm doing is putting in an order for more Warriors."

"You don't think they'll be war with the English, do you Lord Bismarck?" Ralph asked.

"I'm sure of it, son," Bismarck replied, "But let me tell you, when war comes, and it will, it won't be started by me."

_Of course Lord Bismarck was right. But more on that later._

**A/N: Just want to answer a quick question. Patriotgabe: I will be following the tech tree with more of a focus on era, for example a Civ might unlock many techs in an era quickly, but advance through eras more slowly.**


	10. Chapter 9: Home Sweet Home

**September 2, 4000 BC, Outskirts of Berlin, Germany**

The closer we got to Berlin the more apparent our anxiousness to see our capital again became. Today was the day we would first be able to see it, the forest ending only a couple hundred meters in front of us. But as we emerged from the treeline, elation was the last thing we felt.

"Is-is that… smoke?" David stuttered.

I nodded. In the distance, one of our cotton fields had visible lines of smoke coming up from it. A crowd of people was also there, throwing burning sticks at our city's walls.

"More barbarians?" Ralph said.

George began barking orders. "Joseph, stay with Lord Bismarck. Everyone else, form up on me!"

We instantly made a formation and began sprinting toward the city, save for Joseph, who was escorting Lord Bismarck back into the edge of the forest.

Luckily for us, the Barbarians had been severely weakened by attacks from both our Archers and the militia inside the city. What was once likely a formidable group was now a collection of five healthy barbarians and three injured ones. We were able to dispatch them without taking a single casualty.

Afterword a group of Workers came to repair the damage the barbarians had done to the cotton plantation. Joseph and Lord Bismarck arrived soon after.

Lord Bismarck addressed the leader of the Archer unit, Hans. "What happened?" he asked angrily, "How did these Barbarians get past the perimeter?"

Hans kneeled. "My apologies, Lord Bismarck. But they were not the only Barbarians that showed up." He pointed northeast, towards the mines. "A second group appeared at the mines, armed with weapons we've never seen before. Our scientists are studying them in the Library as we speak."

At this Lord Bismarck lost his anger. "I want to see the new weapons."

Hans stood. "Certainly, sir. Follow me."

Bismarck started walking towards the city. Suddenly remembering us, he turned to George. "George, once the workers are done repairing the plantation they'll be building a road to the mountain pass. I want you to escort them. Last thing we need is to lose them **again**, or worse, look weak to the English. You all leave first thing in the morning. Oh, and your new recruit is in the barracks."

George stood to attention and saluted. "Yes, sir."

"Good man," said Lord Bismarck, and with that, he and Hans made their way back into Berlin.

* * *

><p>Most of the team headed back to the Barracks to meet the new recruit. Joseph had snuck off at some point. Alfred had headed off to the library to find out more about the new Barbarian weapons. As for me, I simply was content to just wander the streets aimlessly, for no real reason whatsoever.<p>

I ended up at the Monument. For what seemed like hours I just stared up at it, thinking.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here."

I jumped and turned quickly to see-

"Hannah."

"Erik."

We stood there for a moment, me not knowing what to do. Finally, I gestured toward the ground. "Erm… Have a seat?"

She giggled, which I took as a good sign. We sat there for another few moments, gazing up at the Monument, until she finally spoke.

"I heard you guys found another civilization."

I laughed. "They found us, more like it."

I told her about our journey to the English capital of London. She seemed very interested about my description of the ocean.

"I'm just sorry we weren't here for the attack."

She waved off my concerns. "It really wasn't that bad. Some farmers, miners, and other workers came into the city and we just sat it out while the militia and archers took potshots at them. We had and still have plenty of food in the Granary."

"Well, still."

We found ourselves in another awkward silence that, luckily for me, she broke.

"I'd like to see the ocean some day."

This took me by surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, it sounds beautiful."

Some driving force inside me caused me to say next, "Maybe I could take you some day?"

She smiled and this time it was her turn to say, "Really?"

I nodded, more confident now. "Possibly, we'll be escorting some workers to build a road halfway there tomorrow. Perhaps once it's complete I could take you along it and show you the ocean, if my superiors allow it."

Her smile grew. "Oh that'd be great!"

And then she hugged me.

_To this day, through all the wars and the peace, my mind has never raced as fast as it did at that moment._

We separated, the physical act bringing yet another lull in our conversation.

At once we both started to speak. We both immediately stopped and I quickly said, "You first."

She looked as if she wanted to say something, but changed her mind. "You know what never mind. What were you going to say?"

Now I'd changed my mind. "Just that, I should probably be getting back to the Barracks."

"Oh, okay."

"So… I'll see you around I guess?"

"Yeah."

And with that we both turned and went our separate ways.

* * *

><p>I walked into the Barracks. Everyone was asleep save for Lucas, who was reading a scroll at the table with a single candle lit. He gestured me to come sit with him. I complied and took a chair across from him.<p>

"What are you reading?" I whispered.

"Our orders for tomorrow," he replied, "George left them lying here. Apparently Lord Bismarck is looking to formalize our fighting forces. Now our orders will come on parchment rather than us being told. Personally I think it diminishes the social aspects of the practice. We're the 1st Warrior Division now, by the way."

I nodded my head with approval. "Well, it certainly sounds fancier than just calling us 'Warriors.'"

"I agree. So, you're back rather late. Even Joseph crawled back here sooner than you did. Where have you been?"

I considered lying, but I considered Lucas to be my best friend. If I could trust anyone, it was him. I told him everything.

He began to stupidly grin during the middle of it. I stopped and looked at him, puzzled and annoyed.

"What?" I demanded.

He just shook his head. "Geez, Erik, you're more lovesick than Joseph, and at least he had the nerve to tell the girl how he felt."

"I am not!" I said hotly, struggling to keep my voice low for the others' sake.

He just shook his head.

"I'm just saying Erik, if you wanna go for it, you should go for it." He got up and began to move toward his bed.

"We're not going to be around forever."

_Oh, how I once wished he'd been right._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Gah, just missed the one-year anniversary of this story. Oh well. But on that same note, one year! Thanks to everyone who has supported this story by reading and reviewing it. It is far more satisfying to write a story when you know people actually care about it and are reading it. So, thanks again.**

**On a different note, Gods & Kings:**

**1.) It is amazing.**

**2.) In regards to the story, I do plan on incorporating espionage and religion into the story, but, and this applies to all gameplay elements, I may not have them match up EXACTLY with the game for story purposes.**


	11. Chapter 10: The More, the Merrier

**November 30, 4000 BC, Mountain Pass between Berlin and London**

The past twelve weeks had been the most boring of my life. Martin told me to consider it a vacation, but I didn't consider standing around protecting a bunch of guys from a very real threat a "vacation." I suppose in my line of work excitement means danger, but honestly by the eighth week I was secretly hoping for something, **anything**, to happen. I even envied the workers a little bit, despite how tired they always seemed to be, because at least they had something to do.

Luckily, today would be the last day of construction. In a few hours we should be meeting up with the English workers and then we can finally go home. At the thought of this curiosity overtook me and I trotted over to George.

"Sir?" I asked him, saluting.

"At ease, Erik. What's on your mind?" He replied, not taking his eyes off the woods beyond the workers.

I relaxed. "Any idea on what our next assignment is going to be, sir?"

He shook his head. "No idea. Unless some new event has transpired, which we would most likely know about by now, the 1st Archers will still be garrisoned in Berlin, so I doubt we'll be staying there for more than a night."

This disheartened me a little, despite my lust for action.

"So I imagine we'll be redeployed to exploration duties or defense of a farm or mine or something."

"Ah." Not surprising, but still, my longing for activity remained.

"Now I have a question for you," George continued, "The new recruit. What do you think of him?"

I thought of the new recruit before responding. His name was Lars, and he had been a miner before volunteering to fill the military position left by Alex. He had been deemed acceptable and trained before joining us upon our last visit to Berlin. We had gotten to know him over the past few weeks, especially Peter, who had taken him under his wing, so to speak. He had been nearly silent at first, but had eventually opened up to the group, though he still was the quietest of us all. Physically he was similar to George; his time in the mines had made him strong.

"He seems like a good man, sir. I think over time he'll make a fine Warrior."

George nodded. "I agree. As you were, Erik."

I saluted him once more, "Yes sir," and returned to my post. Next to me stood Lucas, who began to speak as I approached.

"What were you asking George, Erik?"

"About our next assignment," I replied, "He reckons either exploration or guard duty."

Lucas swore. "Man, I know it must seem kind of stupid, seeing as how we lost Alex last time we were in combat, but I really feel like some action after all these weeks of standing around."

I nodded. "I feel the same way. Just our natural Warrior instincts, I guess."

Lucas chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, how about that new guy, ey?"

I shrugged. "Quiet, built like George, I dunno, I haven't really noticed anything noteworthy yet."

"I'm waiting to see how he reacts to his first fight. He better not run away or anything like that."

"If he was a coward, they wouldn't have let him onto the squad."

"The division, you mean," Lucas corrected.

I snorted. "There's twelve of us. What are we supposed to be a division of?"

"Lord Bismarck hopes to expand our numbers someday," a third voice said. We turned to see Ralph approaching. "The name exists as it is so it won't have to be changed in the future."

"How do you know so much?" Lucas asked.

"Heard it in Palace while I was healing," Ralph replied, "The healers were awfully chatty. Not bad looking either-"

"You three!"

We spun toward George's voice, which was shouting at us from across the clearing.

"Quit your chatting and focus on the surroundings!"

"Yes sir!" We shouted back before dispersing, quickly.

* * *

><p>It wasn't much longer until the English came into view. Their workers were being escorted by Henry's Longbowmen. The two military units stood stockily, each trying to stare down the other, except for George and Henry, who met in the middle and began to chat in hushed tones, whilst the workers from both sides were finishing up the road. A couple of hours later they were finished, and after a few more words exchanged between our respective leaders we departed.<p>

Once out of earshot of the English I heard George mutter under his breath, "Cocky English bastards."

For some reason this prompted me to smile.

* * *

><p><strong>December 28, 4000 BC, Berlin, Barracks<strong>

Only a few minutes after we arrived back at the Barracks a messenger informed us we were needed at the Palace. We all began to grumble, but George called for quiet and we marched over there.

Lord Bismarck was waiting for us in his office. Before we could even salute and waved for us to be at ease.

"Come look at this." He gestured to his table. We all gathered around to see a map spread out across it. It showed Berlin, London, and all the surrounding areas that had been explored. A big red X had been drawn at a location to our east.

"Shortly after you all left we assembled a Scout unit, which we've since and sent them west to find the source of the Barbarian attack." He pointed to the X. "That's their encampment, and it's far larger and more well protected than the one you all took out earlier this year. As such I'm sending you to take it out with another military unit."

"But sir," Alfred interrupted, "Won't you need the Archers here to defend the city?"

"I wasn't talking about the Archers."

"He was talking about us," a voice proclaimed.

We all turned to see a large man emerge from the shadows, clutching one of the unknown weapons the Barbarians had been armed with.

"Warriors," Bismarck said tentatively, "Meet Derrick Junker, leader of the 1st Spearmen Division."

* * *

><p><em>Now I know what you're thinking. The famous Derrick Junker of the legendary 1<em>_st__ Anti-Tank Division, and the famous Erik Herrmann of the 1__st__ Infantry Division? Surely we had gotten along splendidly every since we had met. Well, despite what the media propaganda might have told the population at the time, it was only around that time that we began to get along at all._

* * *

><p><strong>January 11, 3999 BC, Wheat Fields just outside Barbarian encampment, Noon<strong>

We were almost at the Barbarian encampment. And Lord Bismarck was right to send more than one unit.

This encampment was surrounded by flat land, meaning the element of surprise was not an option, as they had seen us coming for a while now, and had plenty of time to fortify their defenses. The wheat fields were currently hiding us from their view, but the damage was already done. They were ready for us this time.

George and Derrick were both sitting with Bismarck's map laid out in front of them. The rest of us had gathered around them, waiting for orders.

"We should do a joint strike at night," Derrick proposed firmly, "Overwhelm them when they can't see us."

George shook his head. "They already ready for us; a night raid would only mean less light for us to see by. We should attack later today, and from different flanks. That will force them to divide their forces."

Derrick looked like he wanted to argue, but George gave him a stern look, and George could be very intimidating when he wanted to. He stood.

"Let us eat," he proclaimed, "Then, we attack."

The two groups ate separately, each in their own circle. George went off to relive himself, and once he was out of earshot a conversation arose.

"So, whaddya guys think of those Spearmen?" Peter asked.

"I don't like them," Carl answered immediately, "Did you hear their leader's plan today? If it weren't for George he would have gotten us all killed."

"Don't forget his men," Ralph added, "Arrogant pricks. Just because they had some shiny new weapons. Way they act, you'd think they'd taken out a hundred encampments."

Otto chimed in as well, "Why couldn't they send the Archers with us? At least they'd be useful in a fight."

"Yeah," Lucas chuckled, "They coulda just shot away at the Barbs for as long as they wanted, then we woulda just had to march in their and mop up whoever was left."

"Look at Lars here," Alfred gestured, "He's a new recruit, but you don't see him running his mouth off."

"Erm, thank you, Alfred," Lars said.

"Here, here," Joseph raised his clay cup filled with water, "To Germany. Even if we don't love all of her citizens, may she live long and prosper."

"And," Martin added, also raising his cup, "To victory over these accursed Barbarian savages!"

We all raising our glasses with a cheer, drawing looks from the Spearmen. But none of us cared. As David later said, "They're so reckless, they'll all be dead in a year."

_That didn't end up being quite the case._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that was a quicker turnaround than usual. As always, thanks for reading and please review!**


	12. Chapter 11: Once More Unto the Barbs

_Though we wouldn't admit it at the time, many of us were jealous of the Spearmen. They were just a bunch of new recruits yet they still got the better weapons, as if Lord Bismarck found us obsolete. Of course this sounds ridiculous now, but we wouldn't realize that for a long time._

* * *

><p><strong>January 11, 3999 BC, Wheat Fields just outside Barbarian encampment, Mid-Afternoon<strong>

"Alright," George said to the crowd in a hushed tone, "My Warriors and I will hit them from the south." He turned to the Spearmen's leader. "Derrick, you and your Spearmen swing around from the north and attack once we've gotten their attention. Any questions?"

There were none.

"Very well. Let's move out."

With that, we Warriors moved southeast until we arrived at the edge of the wheat field.

"No other units in sight," Carl, who had the best eyes of us all, reported. "Just the Brutes in the camp."

"Good," said George, "No reason for delay. For Germany!"

"FOR GERMANY!" we shouted, before charging straight toward a group of very stunned-looking Barbarians.

The Barbarians didn't come to meet us in the plains, meaning we were going to have to enter their fortifications. Luckily, they were so focused on us, they hadn't noticed the Spearmen silently running around to the back of the camp. Just before we reached their battlements, the Spearmen let out a shout, causing many of the Barbarians to spin around. By the time they realized their mistake, we were already upon them.

I bashed one distracted Barbarian in the head, causing another near me to turn. Before he had time to register what was going on, my club was already swinging.

With two barbarians already down and no others near me, I shifted my attention to my surroundings. Almost instantly I noticed two barbarians ganging up on Peter. I lunged at one of them, tackling him to the ground while Peter and the other danced around each other, each trying to land a hit on the other.

The Barbarian I had tackled was about my size and double my smell. Each with a death grip on the other, we rolled around on the ground as we both tried to get on top. I was finally able to get the upper hand. Risking releasing my grasp on his fur pelt, I drove my fist into his cheek, not hard enough to send him sprawling, but at least he was off of me and away from Peter, who was still sparring with his own opponent.

Looking around for a weapon, I saw one of the Barbarians' spiked clubs. Lifting it, and turned to my own opponent, who had hoisted himself up. Our eyes locked, and with a shout that truly granted him the title "Barbarian," he charged me.

I winded up my club, sweat practically pouring down my face. Finally, when he got close, enough, I swung.

The club impaled itself in the Barbarian's head. Blood sprayed out, splashing me I my face. It was warm.

He had undoubtedly died instantly on impact. I let his corpse down on the ground, and with a grunt, managed to dislodge the club from his head.

With the immediate danger gone, I allowed myself to take a few breaths while I looked around. Most of the Barbarians had been dispatched by this point, and the ones left were already surrounded by multiple Warriors, Spearmen, or a mixture of both. Realizing the battle was all but over, the fire within me seemed to go out. (_Quick note for you boys– we later learned that this "fire within" is what you and I now know as adrenaline) _With one last deep breath, I collapsed to the ground.

* * *

><p><strong>January 25, 3999 BC, Berlin, German Palace, Medical Wing<strong>

I awoke to see Lucas' face hovering over mine.

"Well, well, well, look who finally looks to be awake for good."

Lucas explained what happened. Apparently I had been so invested in the battle I hadn't noticed the gash in my leg. We weren't sure when it had happened, but I had lost a lot of blood. When the battle was over the others had noticed my limp form on the ground. At first they feared I had died, but a quick check over by Otto confirmed I was alive, but dying. He stabilized me best he could, and Lucas and Ralph (who had had the foresight to bring the cloth-and-stick carrying device), brought me back to Berlin. I had been unconscious most of the time, but they had managed to force-feed me similar to how we had done with Ralph.

"Anyone else injured?" I asked.

"Yes," Lucas said, "But you were by far the worst. Otto said he could handled everyone else there, but you needed to return to Berlin."

"Killed?"

Lucas shook his head, 'George's plan worked perfectly. The Barbarians were so disorganized, the whole battle probably took no more than a half an hour."

Ralph walked in. When he saw I was awake, he smiled.

"Hey buddy. How's the blood loss?"

"Like I have to tell you."

We all laughed. Ralph came over and sat with Lucas at my bedside.

"You're lucky your case was so similar to mine. We knew exactly what to do."

"Yeah, I sure am glad you got injured, Ralph."

"Hey, I'm just glad I'm not the only who's been severely injured anymore."

With a chuckle a question popped into my head. "Just where is everybody, anyway?"

"They should be here in a few days," Lucas answered, "They stayed and scavenged for a while after the battle. We on the other hand had to leave lugging your injured ass as soon as possible."

"Lord Bismarck visited you while you wee unconscious," Ralph interjected, "He'll wanted to know you're awake. And you had one other visitor."

Another visitor? 'Who?" I asked.

"A girl," said Lucas, grinning ear to ear.

I felt like I had just lost another leg of blood. "Hannah?"

"So you DO know her," said Ralph, who now also had a huge smile spread across his face.

I hesitated. "We've… met."

Lucas, who already knew how I felt, was content to simply stand there with his stupid grin, while Ralph, who Lucas had obviously not filled in, was a bit more inquisitive.

"She seemed very worried about you, Eric," he went on, "Insisted on seeing you, but you know the policy. No one is admitted to see you without proper permission. So, now that you're awake, would you like to grant her permission?"

"Yes," I said a bit too quickly.

Ralph laughed. "I'll go send the message." He departed from the room, leaving Lucas and I alone.

"So," I started, hoping to change the subject, "What's next for us?"

Lucas leaned up against the wall. "I had a chat with Lord Bismarck. As far as we know there are no other Barbarian camps around, scouting will be handled by the Scouts and Spearmen, leaving us with-"

"Guard Duty," I finished for him.

He nodded. "Most action we'll probably see for a while is watching workers."

There was a knock at the door. Lucas walked over to open it. Behind it stood Lord Bismarck.

Lucas and I both immediately straightened our postures and saluted. Before we could say anything though, Lord Bismarck waved us down.

"At ease, at ease," he said, "Especially you, Erik. Heard you had a nasty run-in with some Barbarians."

"Still alive and kicking, sir," I replied, "Can't complain."

He chuckled, "That's what I like to hear. I am glad that, for the most part, the mission was a success. I take it that Lucas here has informed you of the future of the 1st Warrior Division."

My smile faded a little. "Yes sir. Sorry to hear we won't be seeing much action for a while."

Bismarck maintained his smile. "You have no idea of how proud I am of you all and your willingness to serve Germany. Frankly, if I were in your shoes I'd be glad for some relaxation." He chuckled again. "I know I'd like some. Still we have very different jobs, you all and I." He glanced from Lucas to me. "And I am confident that, as long as we have men like you all around to defend Germany, our nation will never fall."

A door was heard slamming in the background, followed by frantic-sounding footsteps. Lucas instinctively began to move in front of Lord Bismarck.

The door to the medical wing burst open. Hannah ran straight in and, before any of us could say a word, kissed me right on the lips.


	13. Chapter 12: Trade and Troubles

**March 6, 3969 BC, Berlin, Barracks**

A pile of rolled-up clothes colliding with my face woke me from my slumber.

"Wake up, Erik," Lucas' voice called out, trying to coax me into getting up, "The Merchant wanted to leave first thing in the morning, and we're not gonna let you make us late."

I groaned and rolled over.

"Come on Erik," Peter shouted out, "Don't tell us the ol' barracks aren't as comfortable as your… other residence."

"I don't think it's that," Carl chimed in, "I'd reckon he just doesn't get a lot of sleep there."

My idiot friends roared with laughter. Sighing, I slowly rose, making a grab at the clothes I had been thrown.

"Shut up, Carl," I groaned, slipping them on.

He gave me a slap on the back. "Aww, you know we're kidding, Erik. We all love your wife, really we do."

Hannah and I had gotten married a few years back. Since then I had made a habit of sleeping at her place and-

_Keep in mind, when I say sleeping, I mean sleeping. We weren't as happy-go-lucky with our bodies as you kids are nowadays. I mean, sure, every once in a while, we'd-Waitwaitwait. You know what? Forget it. This is getting too damned personal…_

-only slept at the barracks when we had an upcoming mission, such as today.

"Of course," Alfred interjected, "We all have Joseph to thank for pioneering the whole "marriage" concept."

Joseph and his wife, Jane, were the first two people to be married in our entire civilization. They had been married by Lord Bismarck himself in front of the Palace. It had been quite the celebration.

"Always happy to contribute," Joseph said before taking a bite of his breakfast apple.

"Seriously though," George said, causing us all to go silent, "I want everyone to be ready in five minutes. Mr. Jobs wants to conduct the trade mission in Venice as soon as possible."

Everyone rushed to get ready. About twenty years back, a man named Steve Jobs had been born into our civilization. Later in life he had proved himself to be a great Merchant. As such, he had been appointed by Lord Bismarck to conduct a trade mission with a nearly city-state, Venice. He was to negotiate a trade of some of our cotton in exchange for some of their furs. And we were to escort him.

It may not have been a very exciting assignment, but when you haven't left German territory in thirty years, the definition of exciting becomes broader and broader.

As we finally finished packing our things, we all filed out of the Barracks onto the streets. Mr. Jobs was waiting for us outside the city.

We began our march to the city gates. We got many waves from citizens as we passed. Our civilization hadn't grown much in thirty years, so pretty much everybody knew everybody. Not many more buildings had been built, but the Palace had been greatly expanded upon, in an effort to make it grander. After the renovations it was, as Lord Bismarck said, "More fitting of the name of Palace."

We were almost at the gates when I heard a familiar voice shout out, "Erik!"

With a smile I turned to see my beautiful wife, Hannah.

Peter started to chuckle but Lars slapped the back of his head. "Come on boys," he said to the others, "Let's give Erik some privacy."

I always liked Lars.

The others continued their march outside the city while I ran over to Hannah. Subconsciously though, I wasn't as cheerful as I appeared.

Something was happening. Something I began to notice a few years back.

Hannah's appearance was changing with age, as were others in our civilization. Her hair, once pure golden blonde, now had streaks of grey in it. Her once flawless skin now had various wrinkles embedded in it. She wasn't as physically fit as she used to be. Now, I am not a petty man, and these things wouldn't have bothered me **if they were also happening to me.**

But no. In thirty-one years, I didn't look a day over twenty-one, even though was actually fifty-two. Neither did any other military units, or Lord Bismarck. I didn't know what to make of it, but I tried hard not to obsess over it. There could be infinite explanations to… well, explain it.

I drove these thoughts from my mind when I reached Hannah. She kissed me hello.

"You run as well as you did when we first met," she said, "Must be all that military training."

"Must be, considering I've done practically nothing but train these past few years," I retorted, "Married some girl too, but whatever."

She laughed and gave me a punch in the arm. Her laugh was still as pretty as it had been when we first met.

"You better watch yourself," she teased, "I've got Joseph making sure you don't go running off with some English whore."

I snorted, "That's funny, because Jane has me making sure Joseph doesn't go running off with some English whore."

She gave me another punch. "Anyway, funny guy, I made something for you for the trip." She reached down and pulled out something from her basket. It was a small clay pot.

She handed it to me. "I've been making it in secret these past few months, for your deployment. Something to remember me by."

I examined it with my hand, turning it over and over. I glanced up to her with a smile. "I love it," I said, giving her a kiss on the check.

She pulled me into a hug. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, okay?" she said, the humor gone form her voice.

I squeezed her tighter. "I promise," I said. We released each other, and with a final goodbye, I reluctantly exited the German Capital of Berlin.

So far, this wasn't as fun as it used to be.

* * *

><p><strong>March 20, 3969 BC, Wilderness, en route to City-State of Venice, Mid-Afternoon<strong>

We had been traveling for two weeks. According to Mr. Jobs, the river we were following would lead us straight to Venice.

I had been relatively quiet. Despite being home for thirty years, strangely enough, I found my head was clearer out here, without all the hustle and bustle of our small capital. So, long story short, I'd been thinking, mainly about the age conundrum.

I quickend my pace in order to catch up to Joseph. When I came up next to him he turned and looked at me. "Hey Erik," he said, "Something the matter?"

I thought for a moment the best way to phrase my words. "Kinda. Joseph, you've been married even longer than I have, right?"

He nodded.

"And, throughout these years, have you noticed anything… different about your wife?"

He looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

My patience wore thin. "I mean our wives, as well as everyone else in Berlin, have noticeably aged yet we, members of the military, as well as Lord Bismarck, look just the same as we did thirty years ago."

Joseph seemed to pause and think about this. His behavior was beginning to really irritate me. Did this matter to him at all? Had he really not noticed this?

He spoke. "I suppose you're right. But we're constantly training, keeping physically fit. It's probably just making us appear younger than we really are."

I shook my head. "I thought of that, Joseph, but I don't think that's it. And it's driving me crazy trying to figure it out."

He gave me a nonchalant slap on the back. "Don't worry about it, Erik. I'm sure everything will work out to be just fine."

I slowed my pace to separate myself from him. I was now even more frustrated than I was before I spoke to him.

* * *

><p><strong>April 3, 3969 BC, Wilderness, en route to City-State of Venice, Evening<strong>

We made camp in a clearing in the forest. Once we were all set up, we sat around the fire as Martin cooked the food. The horses that were carrying our cotton and other goods were grazing nearby.

Despite traveling with him for four weeks I still didn't know much about Mr. Jobs. I decided it was a good time to learn some more about him.

"So, Mr. Jobs," I said loudly, halting the small side-conversations that had been going on and bringing a silence throughout the camp. "What made you want to become a merchant?"

He looked a little surprised, but seemed willing to talk regardless. A smile grew on his face. "First off, call me Steve. If someone doesn't I may forget my own name." A few of us chuckled at this.

"As you all know, I was born about twenty years ago. My father was a farmer and my mother worked in the Palace. They met when he went there on business one day, and the rest is history."

"As I was growing up I was curious as to the distribution of my father's produce to the people of Berlin. The bartering system fascinated me, and as life went on I devoted more and more of my time to the study of it. My father was somewhat disappointed when I told him I didn't intend to follow his craft, but he and my mother still loved me and were proud of me, especially now that I'm being sent to Venice to make a trade on the behalf of Germany and Lord Bismarck himself."

I nodded, generally interested in his story.

"But now I have two questions for you."

It was my turn to be surprised. Nevertheless, I motioned for him to proceed.

"You all have been Warriors since your own inception. Have you ever thought of doing something else?"

Glances were exchanged throughout the camp. It seemed like an obvious question now, but our minds had never actually crossed this idea.

George spoke up. "We are Warriors. We have always been. It is all we know."

"But what about Lars?" Steve argued, "He wasn't always a Warrior."

We all turned to Lars. He wasn't nearly as reclusive as he had been when he had first joined our ranks, but he still seemed somewhat unnerved at all the attention being brought on him. He gave a shrug as he began, "I was a miner from the beginning, but I didn't particularly like it. Than one day I heard there was an opening in the Warriors, and I apply. I was accepted, and have been here ever since."

Jobs nodded slowly, taking it in.

"What was your second question?" Otto asked.

Jobs turned toward him.

"You all are roughly thirty years older than me, right?"

Otto nodded.

"Than why do we all look the same age?"

Joseph and I immediately made eye contact.

* * *

><p><strong>April 17, 3969 BC, Wilderness<strong>

"Are we there yet?" Peter moaned.

"Peter," David replied, "I have know you for over thirty years, and you are still the same whiny kid."

"I am not whiny!"

"Yes, you are."

"Would you both shut up?" Ralph interjected.

"Seriously, though," Alfred spoke up, "Are we there yet?"

"We should be almost there," Carl answered, studying his map.

We emerged from the forest. Below us, the river we had been following followed down the hill we stood upon into the ocean. And on either side of that sat the city-state of Venice. Fishing boats could be seen lazily bobbing it the distance, and farmers and miners were visible all over.

"Huh," said Alfred, "Looks like you were right, Carl."


	14. Chapter 13: Venetian Hospitality

**April 17, 3969 BC, City-State of Venice**

Once we arrived inside the city proper Steve Jobs made a beeline straight for the home of the Venetian ruler, Doge Martino Felipe. We were under the impression we were to join him, but to our surprise he insisted we explore the city instead and leave him to his own devices.

Lars, Ralph, Otto, David, Martin, Joseph, Peter, and Carl wasted no time and set off immediately in search for the nearest place to eat. Alfred went off on his own, saying something about "studying the city's architecture." George went off on his own as well, heading to the city center to see if he could make some trades for some supplies. This left Lucas and myself.

He turned to me. "What do you want to do?" I shrugged. "Walk around and take a look at the place, I guess." So that's exactly what we did.

* * *

><p>There wasn't much to the city; it was slightly smaller than Berlin, and did not have quite as many notable buildings. There was certainly a life to it, though. The abundance of food brought in from the farms and fishing boats had made Venice a very populated place, and the streets were bustling with activity. Lucas groaned about having to push through the crowds, but I didn't mind at all. As a matter of fact, it gave me a good feeling, as if I were truly alive and a part of something.<p>

We crossed into one of the less-populated streets, where there were only a few groups of two or three citizens making their way through. Lucas and I walked on, chatting about this and that, until we heard a scream coming from one of the alleys. We exchanged glances and both got a firmer grip on our clubs. Our walk turned into a run as we rounded the corner into the alley the scream originated from. We were both taken back with what we saw.

A Venetian girl, looking to be in her late teens, was lying upon the ground, her clothes torn and ripped. A large Venetian man loomed over her, his tunic and bald head covered in muck and filth. As it dawned on me what had happened, my shock turned to disgust and anger. If I was angry though, Lucas looked enraged.

"What's going on here?" he shouted at the man. Both and the girl turned to look at us.

"None of your business, stringbean," the man growled back, "Now get outta here."

The girl, who had been panting, drew a breath and said hurriedly, "Please, help me, I'm-"

"SHUT UP!" the man roared, and he gave her a swift kick in the ribs.

Before I had even registered what he had done, Lucas leapt into action.

He rushed the man, who made a grab for him. He dodged and clubbed the man in the stomach. The man doubled over, trying to catch his breath, but before he could, Lucas drove his club into one of the man's kneecaps, sending him plunging to the ground. He then turned his back to the man and mad his way toward the girl. But he had only gone a few steps when the man stirred and tried to get up. By this point I had the good sense to know to jump in. Before the man could get up I brought my club down on his head, knocking him unconscious.

The man dealt with, Lucas and I focused our full attention on the girl.

She had dark hair and a pretty if dirty face. I realized her clothes, already in shreds, weren't very substantial to begin with it. I forced myself to look elsewhere.

Lucas knelt down next to her. "It's alright," he said, in a soothing and gentle voice I had never heard from him, "Everything is going to be okay."

"Thank you," she replied to him in a strained voice, "Thank you both."

"Who was that man?' I asked, gesturing towards his limp figure.

"A client," she said, "The worst kind of client. The kind who doesn't know when to stop." Seeing our confused looks, she added, "I'm a prostitute."

Prostitution had arisen a few decades ago. Due to man's superiority to women, they had a harder time finding work, and thus usually had to marry in order to survive. Prostitution wasn't very big in Berlin; we only had about five or six in a population of a couple hundred. Rumors and stories had come back with the merchants on their trips however; they often spoke of the prostitutes of the cities they had just returned from. In Genoa, a distant city-state, they were apparently so many prostitutes that they had their own hut called a "brothel." Prostitutes were often looked down upon, seen as women who had failed at both marriage and conventional work and who now had to sell their bodies just to survive.

Looking back at her I suddenly noticed her left pant leg was stained red. I tapped Lucas on the shoulder and gestured toward it. "Her leg's bleeding."

Without hesitation Lucas took off his shirt and starting ripping it into strips of cloth.

"What's your name?" he asked her as he began wrapping the strips of cloth over around her leg.

"Claudia," she said, "And what about yours?"

"I'm Lucas," he said with a smile.

"I'm Erik," I chimed in, but neither of them seemed to notice.

"Erik," Lucas said without looking at me, "Why don't you go to the Doge and tell him what happened here? I'll look after Claudia."

"I bet you will," I grumbled as I turned and left the alley.

* * *

><p>The Doge's home wasn't hard to find. I just looked for the grandest house in the city.<p>

It was smaller than the Berlin Palace, but nonetheless impressive. Perhaps most impressive about it was the fact it was located right on the oceanfront, as if it was the bridge between the city of Venice and the ocean itself.

Two guards stopped me as I approached the entrance.

"Who are you and why are you here?" One asked.

"I'm Erkenbald Herrman," I replied, "German Warrior. I need to speak with the Doge."

The guards exchanged a glance, than turned back to me.

"Do you have any identification?" the other asked.

"Um… no." I said, "But if you could just get Mr. Jobs, he could-"

"Mr. Jobs," the first guard interrupted, "Is in an important meeting with the Doge. If you think we're going to interrupt because some street rat thought he could get inside if he posed as a German Warrior you're sorely mistaken."

"But I am a German Warrior!' I protested, "A prostitute was attacked by one of her clients in an alley; my cohort and I managed to dispatch him, but we need the Doge to lock him up and get the girl medical attention!"

"The Doge does not deal with such matters," The second guard said, "The guards do. But, seeing as prostitutes are not recognized as citizens of the city of Venice, it makes no difference."

"I suggest," the first guard mockingly offered, "you go find someone who cares."

They both laughed as I furiously stormed away.

* * *

><p>I returned to the inn, as it was no doubt the place Lucas would have taken Claudia once she felt up to it. I found them both inside the room Lucas and I shared, with Claudia lying on Lucas' bed as he cleaned her wound. They both turned toward me as I walked in and sat on my bed.<p>

"I couldn't get into the Doge's house," I said, "We can expect no justice nor medical treatment."

Lucas swore, but Claudia simply said, "I am not surprised."

To be honest, neither was I. What was really getting to me was the fact that I had no way of proving I was a German Warrior. I would need to speak with Lord Bismarck when we retuned to Berlin.

"Well, what do we do now?" Lucas asked.

I shrugged. "I'd say we kicked that guy's ass hard enough for him to learn his lesson, and to seem to be making a fine medic in Otto's absence." I turned to Claudia. "Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

She shook her head. "I usually stay with my clients at night."

"She can sleep in my bed," Lucas offered.

"Well, then where will you sleep?" I asked.

"He can share with me," Claudia spoke up.

Oh.

"In that case," I said, "Why don't I just bunk with some of the other guys and you two can have this room?"

"Thanks, Erik," Claudia said.

I got up to leave.

"Yeah," Lucas agreed, "Thanks Erik. You're a good friend."

"Damn right I am," I replied, shutting the door behind me.

* * *

><p>"One day in Venice," Peter exclaimed, "And Lucas is already spending the night with a prostitute!"<p>

We were all sitting around the fire in the inn's main room. Lucas was noticeably absent, and was, as such, the topic of discussion.

"She's injured, you idiot," Ralph shot back, "What could they possibly do?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Joseph said with a smirk, "People can be awfully creative in-"

"Alright," George interrupted, "I think I've had enough with this topic. So I'm changing it. Mr. Jobs was able to pull of the trade successfully. As such, we'll be leaving tomorrow with the furs. So I want everyone to get a good night's sleep."

"Bet Lucas doesn't get a good night's sleep," Peter mumbled. Carl smacked his head.

"We've leaving already, boss?" Martin asked, "We just got here! I was hoping to see more of the sights, you know?"

"I think you just want to find a prostitute of your own to rescue." David teased.

We all laughed expect George, who gave a grimacing smile.

"Everyone go to bed," he ordered as he stood, "Lest you ladies spend all evening gossiping."

There were a lot of nonchalant "Yes, sir"s as we all got up with groans and made our ways back to our respective rooms. Due to the… loss of mine, I was bunking with Peter and Alfred.

The three of us got into the room and shut the door. Peter and Alfred crawled into their beds as I crawled into my makeshift one, which was little more than a bail of hay and some blankets.

"I don't get it, Erik," Peter asked, "You saved the prostitute too, how come you aren't… you know…"

"Because I'm married Peter," I replied, "And if Joseph didn't kill me, he would tell Hannah and she would."

"I know, Erik," Peter said, "She's just been looking… different, you know?"

"Watch your tongue, Peter," Alfred warned.

"It's alright, Alfred," I said, not wanting to make a scene right before bed, "Let's just all go to sleep, eh?"

"If you say so, Erik," Alfred said. He blew out the candle lighting the room.

"I didn't mean to be rude or nothing, Erik," Peter said, "I was just-"

"S'alright, Peter," I said, already being overcome by exhaustion. But it wasn't alright.

My last thought before I finally succumbed to sleep was how much my wife had used to look like the young women Lucas was with tonight and how much we still looked like that.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Between Assassin's Creed and Crusader Kings II, the latter of which provide the music with which I wrote this chapter to, I can't wait to get to the Medieval Era. But, there's a few more loose end to tie up before we can make anther timeskip…**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews always appreciated.**


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